NCJ Number
48434
Date Published
1975
Length
66 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF LENGTH OF UNEMPLOYMENT, WAGES EARNED, PAST AND PRESENT WORK RECORD, EMPLOYMENT LEVEL, SOURCE OF JOB, AND REFERRAL RESULT ON THE RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT OF PROBATIONERS IS STUDIED.
Abstract
CASE RECORDS FOR ALL OFFENDERS GRANTED PROBATION IN THE CINCINNATI-HAMILTON COUNTY AREA OF OHIO DURING THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND APRIL 1974, WERE EXAMINED. WOMEN, HANDICAPPED MEN, AND CASES TRANSFERRED TO OTHER DISTRICTS WERE EXCLUDED, LEAVING 168 CASES. IT WAS FOUND THAT BLACKS WERE OVERREPRESENTED (47 PERCENT) AMONG PROBATIONERS, THAT THE MEAN EDUCATIONAL GRADE WAS 10.2, AND THAT 42.6 PERCENT WERE DRUG USERS. ABOUT HALF HAD POOR PRIOR WORK RECORDS, AND ALMOST ALL WERE UNSKILLED OR SEMISKILLED. DURING THE 12 MONTHS OF THE STUDY THERE WAS A HIGH AVERAGE LENGTH OF UNEMPLOYMENT (4.0 MONTHS FOR THE TOTAL SAMPLE, 4.8 MONTHS FOR PROPERTY OFFENDERS, AND 4.9 MONTHS FOR BLACKS). OF THOSE EMPLOYED, 38.1 PERCENT HAD POOR PROBATION WORK RECORDS. DURING THE COURSE OF THE STUDY, 22.1 PERCENT WERE REARRESTED FOR MISDEMEANORS AND 10.1 PERCENT FOR FELONIES. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HIGHER THE NUMBER OF MONTHS UNEMPLOYED, THE LOWER THE RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT SCORE AND THE HIGHER THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS. THE HIGHER THE WAGES EARNED, THE BETTER THE PAROLE ADJUSTMENT. THESE FINDINGS HELD TRUE FOR BOTH BLACKS AND WHITES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, BLACKS HAD LOWER PAROLE ADJUSTMENT SCORES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT COURTS UTILIZE SOME FORM OF PAYMENT TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO HIRE AND TRAIN PROBATIONERS AND THAT A TEAM PROGRAM BE USED TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND TO FIND JOBS FOR PROBATIONERS. IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT MAKE GREATER USE OF PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES. STUDY DATA IS PRESENTED IN TABULAR FORM. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)